Real estate terminology can be hard to decipher — for example, what the heck is a maisonette? That might lead to you questioning another confusing term, what is a duplex apartment? A recent search of NYC and northern New Jersey listings that include the word “duplex” brought up nearly 1,700 sale listings. But what makes these units different from other apartments with additional levels? Here is everything New Yorkers need to know about this distinctive apartment type.

Manhattan Homes Under $750K on StreetEasy Article continues below

Kips Bay

200 East 27th Street

$700,000

1 |

1

Yorkville

222 East 80th Street

$525,000

1 |

1

Morningside Heights

1264 Amsterdam Avenue

$595,000

2 |

1

Sutton Place

411 East 57th Street

$625,000

1 |

1

East Village

283 East Fourth Street

$410,000

1 |

4

Murray Hill

2 Tudor City Place

$649,000

1 |

1

Central Harlem

128 West 138th Street

$425,000

2 |

1

Upper West Side

130 West 80th Street

$700,000

1 |

1

East Village

217 East 5th Street

$685,000

1 |

1

Sutton Place

245 East 54th Street

$675,000

1 |

1

East Village

633 East 11th Street

$450,000

1 |

1

Murray Hill

104 East 37th Street

$495,000

1 |

1

What Is a Duplex Apartment?

While it’s unclear how duplexes first came to the NYC real estate market, they did inspire headlines when the last luxury prewar apartment building hit the market in the 1930s. The building located at 19 East 72rd Street housed more duplexes than any other floor plan type. So what separates a duplex apartment from other multi-level units spotted on StreetEasy? Here are a couple of guidelines:

First off, a duplex apartment is a two-floor unit connected by stairs or an elevator. Sometimes the lower level is a basement.

Second, both floors must have a legal minimum ceiling height of 8 feet. For example, an apartment with a loft bedroom with a ceiling height of 5 feet is not a duplex, even if it has stairs.

You might see the term maisonette used when describing a duplex. But, here’s the thing, a maisonette could be a duplex, but it also has a private entrance from the outside, while duplexes do not. What about split-levels? Apartments in this category have multiple floors connected by staggered and short sets of stairs.

Manhattan Rentals Under $3,200 on StreetEasy Article continues below

Fort George

329 Wadsworth Avenue

$1,800 No Fee

1 |

1

Upper West Side

327 West 85th Street

$2,500 No Fee

Studio |

1

Central Harlem

150 West 140th Street

$2,000 No Fee

Studio |

1

Washington Heights

502 West 167th Street

$2,350 No Fee

2 |

1

Central Harlem

150 West 140th Street

$1,950 No Fee

1 |

1

East Harlem

336 East 112nd Street

$2,822 No Fee

1 |

1

Hamilton Heights

19 Hamilton Terrace

$2,063 No Fee

Studio |

1

South Harlem

2166 Fred Douglas Boulevard

$2,300 No Fee

1 |

1

Lenox Hill

346 East 62nd Street

$2,500 No Fee

1 |

1

East Harlem

1992 Third Avenue

$2,500 No Fee

1 |

1

Hudson Yards

362 West 36th Street

$2,748 No Fee

1 |

1

East Village

326 East 6th Street

$2,550 No Fee

Studio |

1

Are Duplex Apartments Easy to Find?

Although available as rentals, co-ops, and condos, generally, duplex apartments are relatively rare. They represent a very small percentage of available listings: less than 9% of sales and less than 4% of rentals. You may also be surprised to know that the demand for the unique layout isn’t very high.

“Duplex units are not a popular trend given that most have stairs rather than elevators,” says Agent Karen Kostiw of Warburg Realty. “Stairs in apartments eliminate a large demographic from purchasing an apartment given their lack of easy of use and hazards (i.e., falling).”

Plus, it’s cost-prohibitive for builders. So, newer ones are not as likely to hit the market, adds Frederick Warburg Peters, CEO of Warburg Realty.

With that in mind, buyers are more likely to find duplexes in neighborhoods with more prewar constriction like the Upper East Side and Central Park West. In some instances, if someone wants a duplex in a building where they don’t exist, the person can buy two apartments and combine them. According to Kostiw, if purchased early on in the development process, having the sponsor combine them can be part of the negotiation.

Brooklyn 1-2BRs Under $800K on StreetEasy Article continues below

Homecrest

2503 Ocean Avenue

$680,000

2 |

2

Clinton Hill

185 Clinton Avenue

$775,000

1 |

1

Kensington

428 East 9th Street

$560,000

1 |

1

Williamsburg

179 Jackson Street

$750,000

1 |

1

Kensington

428 East 9th Street

$550,000

1 |

1

Midwood

1615 Avenue I

$455,000

2 |

1

Bensonhurst

1515 West 4th Street

$655,000

2 |

2

Brooklyn Heights

21 Monroe Place

$799,000

1 |

1

Brighton Beach

3016 Brighton 5th Street

$548,000

1 |

1

Marine Park

1940 East 37th Street

$659,000

2 |

2

Brooklyn Heights

111 Hicks Street

$699,000

1 |

1

Wingate

519 Maple Street

$485,000

1 |

1

Pros and Cons of Duplex Apartments

As with any real estate purchase, there are always pluses and minuses to consider. Here are the pros:

More room: Of course, single-floor apartments can be larger square-footage wise. But having two floors is going to give more of that house-like feel. And they are exceptionally roomy if you have two floors of equal size.

More privacy: Two floors, especially if the bedrooms and living areas are separate, means there’s more space for people to spread out. For example, parents can entertain downstairs while the kids sleep upstairs.

More affordable than a townhouse: If you’re wanting single-family style living without the price tag, a duplex is a good option price-wise. A one-bedroom duplex in Yorkville is just $690K, where a townhouse in the same neighborhood asks $7.99M.

Access to amenities: Since duplexes are situated within a larger building, you would have access to any communal amenities available.

Here are the cons:

Managing stairs: Spiral staircases are not uncommon in a duplex as they are space-saving. But they can be more treacherous for some. “This type of staircase is not for anyone who is not steady on their feet or for use by small children,” says broker Gerard Splendore of Warburg Realty.

Finding a sensible layout: “The first question you should ask yourself is whether or not the layout makes sense for you,” says agent Mihal Gartenberg of Warburg Realty. “For example, where are the bathrooms located, and are they easy to access in the middle of the night? There are cases where the bathroom is on a separate floor to the bedroom.”

Queens 2-3BRs Under $800K on StreetEasy Article continues below

Rosedale

251-20 Memphis Avenue

$785,000

3 |

1.5

Forest Hills

108-49 63rd Avenue

$350,000

2 |

1

St. Albans

120-39 180th Street

$589,000

2 |

1

Jamaica

172-18 Jamaica Avenue

$550,000

2 |

2

Jamaica

172-18 Jamaica Avenue

$550,000

2 |

2

Jamaica

87-26 175th Street

$500,000

2 |

2

Jamaica

148-36 89th Avenue

$531,000

2 |

2

Jamaica

148-36 89th Avenue

$531,000

2 |

2

Woodside

30-15 Hobart Street

$429,000

2 |

1

Astoria

21-66 33 Road

$538,800

2 |

1

Forest Hills

110-11 Queens Boulevard

$648,000

2 |

1

Forest Hills

100-11 67 Road

$465,000

2 |

1

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